Islamic summit urges dialogue in Syria

In this picture released by the Egyptian Presidency, a general view of the 12th summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in Cairo, Egypt, Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2013. (AP Photo/Egyptian Presidency)

CAIRO (AP) — An Islamic summit is urging Syrian opposition forces and members of President Bashar Assad’s regime whose hands are not tainted by violence to hold a dialogue to try to resolve the nation’s bloody civil war.

The 57-member Organization of Islamic Cooperation said in the closing statement of a two-day summit in Cairo that such talks could help achieve the “aspirations of the Syrian people for democratic reforms and change.”

Thursday’s statement, however, did not call on Assad to step down. Many nations at the summit, including host Egypt, have demanded in the past that the Syrian leader step aside.

The summit has exposed conflicting approaches among Muslim and Arab nations to the Syrian civil war.